The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-10-30


meath the ms;s and clouds of doubt and
darkness MS long as love kisses the lips OF
death.
have said thousand times, and say
again that we do not know, we cannot
say, whether death is wall or a door
the beginning, or the end of n day the
spreading of pinions 10 soar, or the fold
ing, forcuer Of wings the rise or set OF
sun, or IN endless life, that brings rapture
and love to every one.
The belief in immortality is far older
than christianity. Thousands of wears be-
fore Christ was born billions of people had
lived and died in that hope. Upon count
less graves had been laid in love and tears
the emblcms of another life. The heaven
OF the New Testament was 10 bc in this
world. The dead, after they were raised,
were TO live here. Not one satisfactory
word was said 10 have been uttered hy
Christ nothing philosophic, nothingclcar
nothing that adorns, like a bow of promise,
the cloud of doubt.
According to the account in the New
Testament, Christ was dead Tor period of
nearly three DAYS. After his resurrection,
whydid not some one of his disciples ask him
where he had been? Why did he not tell
them what world NE had visited? There
was the opportunity 10 bring life and inn
mortality 10 light" And yet he was 81
lent as the grave that he had left speech
less as the stone that angels had rolled
away.
How do YOU account Tor this? Was IL
not infinitely cruel to leave the world in
darkness and in doubt, when one wOrl
could have filed all time with hope and
light?
The hope Of Immortality IL the great oak
round which have climbed the poisonous
vines OF superstition. The vines have not
supported the oak-the oak has supported
the vines. As long rs men live and love
and die, this hope will blossom in the
human heart.
All have said upon this subject has
been to express my hope and confess my
lack of knowledge. Neither by worl nor
look have ! expressed any other feeling
than sympathy with those who hope to
| live again-for those who bend above their
| dead and dream Of life 10 come. But
| have denounced the scliishncss and heart
lcSsncss OF those who expect for them
selves an eternity of JOY. and for the rest
of mankind predict, without n tear, Il
world of endless plin. Nothing can be
more contemplate than such hope q
hope that can give satisfaction only 10 the
hyCnas OF the human race.
A DEATH SCENE.
You have had the goodness to invite me
| 10 a grave over which mother bends aud
wecps for her only son. accept your
invitation. We will 90 together DO not,
pay you, deal INF splendid gcncrllitics.
BE explicit. Remember that the son for
whom the loving mother wecps was not a
christian, not u believer in the inspiration
Of the Bible nor in the divinity oi Jesus
Christ. The mother turns To YOU for con
ISOLATION, for some star Of hope in the mid.
night Of her grief. What must You say,
DO not desert the Presbyterian creed. Dc
not forget the thrcatcnings Of Jesus Christ
What must you say? Will YOU read por
ton Of the Presbyterian Confession 81
Faith? Will Won mad this2
Although the light Of nature and the
works OF creation and providence do 80 fal
manifest the goodness wisdom and power
Of God us 10 leave man incNcusahlc, vet
they are not sufficient 10 give that knowl'
edge OF God and Of his will which is nee
essary TO salvation.
Or will YOU read this?
"By the decree Of God, for the manifest.
I
are prcdcstincd unto everlasting life and
Others forcorlaincd 10 everlasting death.
These angels and men, thus pr'dcsiincd
and iorrorlaiucd arr particularly and nm.
changcably designed, and their number IL
~ certain and definite that II cannot be-
either increased or diminished"
Suppose the mother, lifting her tear.
stained face, should saw "My son was
good, generous, loving aud kind. lie CAV,
his life for me. L. there no hope for him?
Would you then put this serpent in hci
brpast2
"Mcn not protesting the christian re-
lgion cannot bc saved IN any other way
whatever, be they never ~ diligvnt Ia con
form their lives according Ia the light 81
nature. We cannot 10y our best work.
merit pardon Of sin There II no sin y,
small but that IL deserves dnmnliion
Works done 10y unrcgcncraic men, MI
though, for the matter Of that, they ma,
bc things which tod commands, and o
good use both 10 Themselves aud othcn
are sinful and cannot please God or make !
man meet 20 receive Christ or God
Aud suppose the mother should thcr
sobbingly ask: what has become Of M!
son? Where IL hc now2' Would yol
still read from your Confession Of Faith, O
from your Calechism- this?
'"rhc souls OF the wicked arr east int
hell, where they remain in torment an,
utter darkness, reserved Ia the judgmcn
oi the great day. At the last day tl
righteous shall come into everlasting life
| hut the wicked shall be cnst into cternn
torment and punished with everlasting
, destruction. The wicked shall be- cas-
into hell, 10 bc punished with unspcakabl
torment both of body aud soul, with th
4 devil aud his angels forever"
81 II the poor mother still wcpt, still refuse
70 90 b. comiortcd, would YOU thrust thi
: dagger in her heart?
! at the day Of Judgment, You bcin
caught mp "a Christ In the clouds, shall ~
B seated at his right hand and thcnc Opcnl
! ! acknowledged and acquitted, AMI yO
z shall Join with him In the damnaiion q
y your son
n this failed TO still the bcatings oi he
aching heart, would you repeat ihcs
I words which you say came from the 10,
n ing soul Of Christ?
!. They who believe and are baplizc
4 shall bc saved aud they who believe NJ
q shall he damned; and these shall ~ ava
D IN everlasting fire prepared for the dew
A and his angels.
y Would You not b, compelled, accordin
|. 90 your belief, 10 tell this mother III!
q "thcrc is but ono name given undo
g heaven and among men whereby" III
a souls " men can enter the gates NJ par.
= dise7 Would you not be compelled
p saw "Your son lived In christian LAM
:. The means 81 grace were within his racl
v lie died not having experienced n chanp
= Of heart, and yonr son Is FOREVER lost. lo
A can meet your son ngnin only by diving
q your sins; but II YOU will give your hca
4 10 God YOU can never clasp him 90 yoJ
II breast again
What could ! say2 let mc tell you'